Wild at heart: bringing the landscape home on San Juan Island

Sunset, April, 2005 by Jil Peters

While Bill and Karin Agosta may be Manhattan transplants, they're not your average urbanites. Before building on their forest-edged meadow on San Juan Island, Washington, the couple camped on it several times. And despite a Thanksgiving when their drinking water froze--and "all we could do was huddle in our sleeping bags with every stitch of clothing on," laughs Karin--they fell in love with the physical beauty of the island and its active, nature-oriented lifestyle. Shortly after they bought the land, the couple turned over 10 acres to the San Juan Preservation Trust, ensuring that a portion of their property would be kept forever wild.

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The Agostas, who are passionate about environmental conservation, wanted a home that would celebrate its sublime natural setting. With its distinctive angled profile and wide glass walls, the 2,750-square-foot house--designed by Patkau Architects, a Northwest firm known for environmentally sensitive building--does just that.

The garden

Much of the home's character lies in the garden, located just off the breezeway that connects the main living area to the Agostas' office and guest room. (Architect John Patkau insisted that if the couple were going to have a home office, they'd have to "go out of the house to get to work.") The garden is a constant source of pleasure for Karin, who treats it as a place to play rather than working toward a finished composition. Gloriosa daisies and salvias add bursts of color to plots of lavender and herbs. She also grows lettuce, leeks, potatoes, and peas--all without pesticides. To gain knowledge of local growing conditions, Karin went through Washington State University Extension's Master Gardener program.

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A deer fence, shown at far right and in the floor plan, extends the home's sloping walls to encapsulate the garden. The fence was a must. "The deer do a circuit through the neighborhood," Karin says. Not only does the fence keep deer out, it also keeps the garden in. "We didn't want the manmade landscape to compete with the garden--or creep into it," the architect says.

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House and setting beautifully integrated

The site for the house was obvious, explains John Patkau: a U-shaped forest of second-growth fir trees sheltering a meadow that opens onto an expansive view of the ocean. "Rather than place the house like an object in the meadow, it bridges the landscape, joining the fir forest and dividing the meadow," the architect says. The plan forms a long line of indoor and outdoor spaces opening to views around a central living/dining area and kitchen.

Firewood, protected from the elements by an overhang, is artfully stored next to the front entry. Equally striking is the deer fence (above right), which has long, open horizontal boards that "add richness and complexity to a simple facade," Patkau says.

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The interior

Because the view to the water is obscured by the house, its full visual impact is delayed. Open the front door, and the walls give way to stunningly clear panoramas of hillside and ocean beyond.

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Throughout the day, clerestory windows bring light into the main spaces. "The shafts of sun animate the interior and make it feel cheery," says Patkau. Operable glass panels, including a huge sliding door where the dining room meets the breezeway, stay open in warm weather. There are few barriers between inside and out. "The concrete floors are an extension of the exterior terraces," explains Patkau. Adds Karin Agosta, "We hop in and out like bunnies all summer long."

Knowing that this is the home they want to grow old in, the Agostas designed it for effortless maintenance and accessibility. There are minimal thresholds and no stairs; the exterior doors are wide, and there are few interior doors. Even the shower was designed to be barrier-free--no doors or lips. Materials and appliances were chosen with practicality and ease of care in mind.

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Interior landscapes to rival the outdoors

Each major room opens to views of the meadow and the water. The entry hall (top) brings the drama of the landscape in with angled clerestory windows, built-in fir seating and display areas, and white walls that reflect sunlight. The kitchen and dining areas (lower left and right) overlap, sharing garden views. In the master bedroom (left), a built-in side table provides a cozy nook.

It's a casual, welcoming house. "You can walk inside in rubber boots and feel comfortable," says Patkau. The home supports the Agostas' lifestyle and requires little fuss. "They can take the house for granted," the architect says. But they don't.

DESIGN: Patkau Architects, Vancouver, B.C. (www.patkau.ca or 604/683-7633)

PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS J. STORY